Sexism in a primarily female dominated field

Nurses Relations

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Now.....maybe I'm just bring a "woman" but sometimes I feel like my female higher ups give preference to the two male nurses on my unit rather then me and the other female nurse. It seems outrageous that this would happen in this female dominated field but I can't seem to shake it off. Believe me, I love working with these guys but give me a break, they r not the "golden boys" they make them out to be. Anyone else experience this?

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Yes, definitely happening on my floor. Brand new male nurses being given preference with things like holidays off etc.

As a nurse who happens to be a man I have noticed one advantage in particular given to nurses who happen to be female. Over the last 18 years in nursing I have noted that any female who is getting married gets whatever she wants for time off, vacation priority, etc. No matter what any other nurse in the unit has going on in their life. "BUT SHE IS GETTING MARRIED!" is the responce given to any questioning of their priority for time off, as if it should be totally obvious to us that it should be so.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
As a nurse who happens to be a man I have noticed one advantage in particular given to nurses who happen to be female. Over the last 18 years in nursing I have noted that any female who is getting married gets whatever she wants for time off, vacation priority, etc. No matter what any other nurse in the unit has going on in their life. "BUT SHE IS GETTING MARRIED!" is the responce given to any questioning of their priority for time off, as if it should be totally obvious to us that it should be so.

That happens for male nurses, too.

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
That happens for male nurses, too.

Maybe, but I have never seen it.

Specializes in Skilled Nursing/Rehab.

I think it is unreasonable for a male nurse to ask a female nurse to do all of his physical assessments, caths and rectal meds on females. I work with quite a few male nurses on my unit, and we only specify a gender for the caregiver if the patient requests it. I have seen adolescent females request only females straight cath them. We had a Muslim man request only male caregivers for bathing and peri care. Unless the patient brings it up, we do not worry about it.

Perhaps you should address that with your coworker or your manager.

Also - holidays are assigned on a rotation on my unit, so gender and seniority have nothing to do with it. Maybe you guys should look into that.

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Maybe, but I have never seen it.

It also happens to single female nurses.

We are the hit for the critical train wreck admission at end of shift (Melanie HAS to be off to pick up the kids), the hit for the always late nurse (Sandra will be 45 min late, you don't mind - you are single and have no life), the one that has the holiday off, but gets the "It 's the baby's first Christmas/Easter, and I CCCANNNN'T miss it. Or the sudden child's doctor appt, that mom nurse's spouse cannot attend, because mom doesn't trust dad to ask all the right question, so Caroladybelle you must switch.

So it is not just a male nurse thing.

It also happens to single female nurses.

We are the hit for the critical train wreck admission at end of shift (Melanie HAS to be off to pick up the kids), the hit for the always late nurse (Sandra will be 45 min late, you don't mind - you are single and have no life), the one that has the holiday off, but gets the "It 's the baby's first Christmas/Easter, and I CCCANNNN'T miss it. Or the sudden child's doctor appt, that mom nurse's spouse cannot attend, because mom doesn't trust dad to ask all the right question, so Caroladybelle you must switch.

So it is not just a male nurse thing.

This. Absolutely infuriating. I don't have kids, but that doesn't mean I don't have a family.

And yes, sexism can be present even in a 90% female profession. I would say it's worse because there are so many women. Also, I'd like to refute the mention up thread that men are "naturally" more assertive. That's false. It's all cultural programming.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
It also happens to single female nurses.

We are the hit for the critical train wreck admission at end of shift (Melanie HAS to be off to pick up the kids), the hit for the always late nurse (Sandra will be 45 min late, you don't mind - you are single and have no life), the one that has the holiday off, but gets the "It 's the baby's first Christmas/Easter, and I CCCANNNN'T miss it. Or the sudden child's doctor appt, that mom nurse's spouse cannot attend, because mom doesn't trust dad to ask all the right question, so Caroladybelle you must switch.

So it is not just a male nurse thing.

If it's the baby's first holiday, the baby cannot read the calendar so it's Mom we're appeasing, not baby. I've told mothers who assume I'll work their holiday for them because I have no kids "Junior won't notice if Santa comes on December 27." A former nurse manager told me early on that since I had no kids, I had "no life" and would therefore be expected to work the holidays for my colleagues who had children. My immediate response was that the union granted me every other holiday off, just like everyone else, and I either took every other holiday off or the union would be enquiring as to why not. Only time I'll trade a holiday these days is if it's some truly unusual and unanticipated event: Selma's son surprised her by returning from Afghanistan for Christmas or Homer's Dad is dying and the whole family is flying in from Wales to be with him on Thanksgiving. Nurses with small children can reschedule the holiday and the small child won't notice.

Ditto on the single female.

Because I don't have kids, don't attend school, not married, they assume you can work whenever.

And god forbid when they ask you to stay late and you have no excuse...just not wanting to work is no excuse. But if you have kids, or have a class, it's totally okay!! What if I just don't feel like working??

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

When I worked in the hospital, I didn't mind celebrating Christmas on December 26 or whatever. Even with young kids. They don't care, as long as it's celebrated (and it helped that we had no extended family in the community, so holidays were just us).

I do have to say that I vomited in my mouth a little at the poster earlier who said that if males in her department are getting preferential treatment, maybe it's because her manager is flirting with them. Puleeze.

According to my alma matter's dean of nursing, men are in high demand in nursing as they help nursing become viewed as more of a profession. I dont doubt your experience.

I don't get it. Do people view it as a hobby otherwise?????

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